When I was growing up on Cloverdale, back in the days before the Cloverdale Bypass came in and it was still called 176th Street for that 4 block stretch between HIghway 10 and 60th Avenue, there used to be a take out burger place called the Thunderbird Drive In. It was on the east side of 176th Street and 58A Avenue. It was a blue building with a signpost outside with a picture of a bird spreading its wings.
No inside seating. This was walk up to the window place your order at the outside counter. I think there was a picnic table or two near the building but I don't recall for sure. They sold burgers, fries, milkshakes, pop, and ice cream. In addition to selling ice cream cones they also served soft serve ice cream in pint containers to take home. A friend of mine worked there one summer during school vacation.
I don't recall when the drive in restaurant ceased to be known as the Thunderbird Drive In, but I think it was in the early 90's. Possibly late 80's. I vaguely recall a fire happening at this restaurant at some time. It didn't burn the building down but renovations had to be done and it was closed for awhile. At some point at least 20 years ago it was sold and the new owners named it Happy Face Burgers so that's why I'm remembering a fire and thinking the restaurant and building were sold after that. The old signpost with the soaring bird was taken down and another with a smiley face was put up in its place.
Rather silly looking actually. The bird was better.
As far as I know they sold the same fare: burgers, fries, and shakes. By the time they reopened with the name change I was a vegetarian and burger joints weren't on my radar any more.
The interesting thing is Happy Face Burgers was rarely open. It would be closed for a year and then on the rodeo weekend in May it would open for a few days and then shut down again for the year. In 1999 I met a woman who I don't really recall what her occupation was but she told me she'd been hired by the owners of Happy Face Burgers and had redesigned their menu. There's only so many ways you can dress up a hamburger and call it different names! I told her the restaurant wasn't open for business and she was quite surprised. I never remember seeing it open after that.
I'm not sure if it became harder for the business to survive after the Cloverdale Bypass was built in 1973 and the Thunderbird ended up on the wrong side of it and no longer catching customers driving through Cloverdale. . Perhaps Happy Face couldn't make a go of it either because its a bit of a pain to access from the Bypass. And they lost some of their parking lot to a grassy median.
The building has long since been torn down and a new building with a pub and beer and wine store with a fitness centre above was built in the spot.
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